Stand up and be counted, one and all

It is the so-called ‘smaller issues’ – the e-mail failure, transport problems and localised floods, or perhaps the crash of Call Centre systems – that are far more likely to fundamentally undermine business success.

The cost of such failures can be significant, even leading to business closure. And yet for the affected employees and partner organisations there is no redress against those in senior management positions responsible for the catastrophic lapse(s) in business infrastructure.

Indeed, today there appears to be very little incentive for UK directors to take any form of responsibility for business continuity. Many Boards of Directors allocate overall jurisdiction for this task to one individual with the inherent belief that they are “doing something about it”. In truth, business continuity should not rest on one individual’s shoulders. Rather, it must be driven by the entire organisation, with the ultimate responsibility resting squarely with the Board of Directors.

After all, it is only those individuals at the very top of the organisation that possess the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to understand the implications of a range of potentially business-damaging issues.

Business threats emerge on a frequent basis. The Avian Influenza outbreak and the London suicide bombings are good examples.

Those organisations that put in place simple steps to ensure the availability of staff and systems will have a far greater chance of riding the storm and, in doing so, will improve the way in which they are perceived by customers, partners, suppliers and shareholders alike.

One only need refer to last December’s catastrophe in Hemel Hempstead to realise the importance of an effective continuity plan. Adopting a NIMBY stance is the wrong attitude.

Graeme Howe, Event Director (Business Continuity) Risk Management Expo 2006